I started the day earlier than usual, and ran for two miles, while my mom was walking around the track. It was chillier than previous days, perfect weather for running. I was thinking about adding some more spice to my workout tomorrow, probably running up hills instead of just running around the flat track. We got back at almost eight, and rushed through our breakfast in order to get to the premium outlet before 10 am. 

   The parking lot was more packed than usual, but we were lucky enough to get a parking spot as soon as we arrived. Some people had already finished shopping and were already loading up their cars. I had a clear idea of what I was going to buy, and my mom was also a very efficient shopper, so we didn't waste any time in getting things we didn't need. 

   So basically, I was looking for cable knit sweaters from Ralph Lauren and fleece/jacket from North Face. I got the sweaters as soon as I arrived at the outlet. I wasn't a huge fan of preppy style, but RL sweaters do keep you warm while looking sharp. Next stop was Brooks Brothers. I didn't know it was such a preppy/privileged brand until I read one of the application essays in a college handbook. It was basically talking about an applicant who went to an east coast boarding school, and could not afford a Brooks Brothers suit as his friends did. Back in summer my dad got some shirts from the brand. He knew nothing about the brand itself, but he assumed that it was a bad one because all of the shirts were made in China, and they were so much cheaper than those sold in China. 

   I ended up getting two shirts and a fleece, which cost a fortune, just like those RL sweaters. At this point all I needed was a coat, something warm and heavy that could protect me from the harsh New England winter. We got it from Tommy Hilfiger. It was a nice jacket, and the cashier person was so surprised when we were at the checkout. True gem, but not as cheap as I would have liked. I also got a pair of navy pants, and a formal coat from Banana Republic. 

   My mom didn't get anything, although I tried to persuade her to get a Longchamp bag. She was talking about how she didn't have any cravings for luxury brands on our way back home, and it was pretty true. I pretty much inherited that from her. Even though I care about brands and fashion and spend a lot of my free time searching through their lookbooks, I won't actually get anything. I don't really have any reason to actually buy them until the day I become independent economically. 

    But it was a really nice shopping session, with all of the things I planned to buy bought. 

    I slept and read through the entire afternoon, then made a cranberry pie at night. It was really random, because my mom was complaining about how the fresh cranberries she bought were so sour that she had no idea how to finish them. So I came up with the idea of baking a pie, with all of the berries and grapes we just got couple days ago, and the pie crust, butter and the rest of the baking essentials I bought during the summer. It was half online-recipe product and half improvisation, for I combined cranberries with blueberries and grapes, and pie with cobbler. Now it's sitting right in front of me, and I will not go to bed until I get a taste of it. Forget about all the sugar and butter I put in it.... YUM!

   Stay tuned!